Metallic can



H. SEBELL METALLIC! CAN Dec, 16, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed March 18, 1950 INVENTOR. Harr Sebg/l Dec. 16, 1952 SE 2,621,826

METALLIC CAN Filed March 18, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 v mm INVENTOR.

Q in-1 Patented Dec. 16, 1952 METALLIC CAN Harry Sebell, Wolfeboro Falls, N. H., assignor to Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond, Va., a

corp oration of Delaware Application March 18, 1950, Serial No. 150,460

3 Claims. (01. 220--27) This invention relates to metallic cans or containers suitable for packaging food of various kinds, and it has special reference to the type of can or container which is constructed to be initially opened by severing the end closure along a line adjacent its periphery.

One object of the present invention is to provide a can of this type which is constructed to facilitate the severing of the end closure for the purpose of opening the can and to provide a can in which this severing operation can be easily performed by any housewife.

A further object of the invention is to provide a can of the above type which not only is so constructed that the operation of severing the end closure can be easily performed but which has such a construction that when the can has been opened, the portion of the end closure which has been cut out constitutes a replaceable cover for the can by which it can be reclosed.

In this invention the end closure is preferably formed from a single blank of sheet metal, and in order to provide a can in which the operation of severing the end closure for opening the can can be easily performed, I propose to use for this purpose very thin soft sheet metal which can be easily cut by any appropriate implement without first being provided with a score line. A thin soft metal such as I propose to use has not of itself sufiicient stiffness to provide the portion of the end closure which is cut out in opening the can with the requisite rigidity to enable it to function as a reclosing cover, and hence another feature of the invention relates to novel means for reinforcing the cut out portion of the end closure to import into it sufficient strength and stiffness so that it can function properly as a cover for reclosing the can.

In order to give an understandin of this invention, I have illustrated in the drawings some selected embodiments thereof which will now be described, after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a partial sectional view of a sealed can or container embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the closure element before it is seamed to the can body,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the manner in which the closure is severed when initially opening the can,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the replaceable cover element in position closin the mouth of the can,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the cutting element which is sold with the can,

Fig. '7 is an edge view of the cutting element,

Fig. 8 is a view of the reinforcing disk used in reinforcing thecover,

Fig. 9 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but showing a different embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings l indicates a can or container which is shown as of the type having integral side walls 2 and bottom 3, although my improved invention may be used with containers in which the bottom is a separate element that is seamed to the side walls of the container. The can body is provided at its upper end with an interior bead 4.

In Figs. 1 to 5 the end closure element is indicated generally at 5, and it comprises the central body portion 6 which has at its periphery the dependin rib 1 formed by making an annular fold in the material of the end closure, the two sides 8 and 9 of the fold being in contact with each other, thereby producing a rib of double thickness.

The material of the end closure at the upper end of the outer wall 8 of the rib is bent outwardly as shown at I into contact with the portion of the side wall 2 of the can body above the rib, and the peripheral portion I l of the end closure is seamed to the top edge of the can in any suitable or usual way as by means of an upstanding rolled double seam [2.

The rib contacts with the bead i of the can body either by fitting within the head as seam in Figs. 1 and 5, or by resting on the bead as seen in Fig. 9.

The end closure 5 is made from some relatively thin soft metal which can be easil cut without first providing it with a score line. Thin aluminum which is of a thickness on the order of .006" and which might be classified as between a sheet and a foil will be suitable for use in making the end closure.

Said end closure is preferably provided with a knob l3 which may be formed by deforming the thin material of which the end closure is made.

The can is initially opened by severing the end closure by means of a suitable implement just inside of the upstanding seam l2 and at the base thereof.

When the end closure is seamed to the top edge of the can, said end closure will be so positioned that the outwardly directed portion It of the closure is spaced slightly above the bead d as shown in Fig. 1. This portion it is an annular portion and is located outside of the rib l, and it is the portion which is severed or cut when the can is to be initially opened.

The out which is made in the portion i 6 of the closure for opening the can may extend entirely around the closure or it may extend nearly but not quite around the closure, in which case the uncut portion of the closure would constitute a hinge by which the body portion 6 of the closure is hingedly connected to the can body.

My present invention contemplates that the body portion 6 of the closure shall constitute a function properly as a reclosable cover, I propose to reinforce the central portion of the closure so as to import into it the requisite stiffness to enk able it to be used as a replaceable cover.

For this purpose a reinforcing disk [4 of heavy cardboard or some similar material is inserted within the rib l and preferably the lower edge [6 of the folded rib I is bent over underneath the reinforcing disk thereby holding it securely in'place. This operation of bending the folded edge of the rib over against the under side of the reinforcing diskcan be easily performed because of the thin nature of the material of .which the end closure is made.

With this construction the central, portion of theh thin metal end closure within the, rib l is supported or reinforced and the only portionof said end closure which is not reinforcedor supported is that in the annular zone If] between therib I and the upstanding seam I21. Asstated above and as shown in the drawings, such annular unsupported portion Iii is spaced above thebead 4, and thus said'end closure can be readily. punctured at any. point in said zone and can also be readily severed alongia line extending around said zone.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to :5, the end closure is so formed that the rib l fits within the head 4 of the can body. In Fig. .9 there is shown a different embodiment of the invention in which said rib of the end closure rests onthe head 4 instead of fitting within it. Referring to Fig. 9 the end closure which is formed cf the thin soft metal is indicated at 6a and the peripheral portion thereof is seamed to the-top edge of the can by the upstanding seam l2 asset forth with reference to Figs. 1 to 5. ,In this embodiment, however, the depending ribi of the closure, which is indicated at la, is situated nearer to the wall of the can body and rests on the head: t. The end closure is reinforced by the reinforcing member Maas in the other embodiment of. themvention, and the bottom edge 16a. of the rib. is folded over underneath the edge of the reinforcing disk Ma thereby retaining said disk in place. I

With the construction shown in Fig. 9 theportion of the end closure. extending outwardly from the base of the rib to the wall of the body; which portion is indicated at Illa, is narrower than the construction shown in Figs. 1 to wherein said portion has a width equal to the depth of the bead 4.

In both forms of the invention, however, this portion 10 or Isa constitutes an annular zone situated immediately inside of the upturned sea-m l2 and in which zone the material of the end closure is unsupported so that it can be readily punctured and cut for opening the can.

To provide a handy and readily available-implement for thus severingthe end closure when the can is to be initially opened,-I propose to provide a special cutting implementwhichmay be attached to the can when it comes into the hands of the consumer and by. which the severing straddling relation thereto as shown in Fig. 4. The leg [9 of the implement is provided at its end with a puncturing point 2| and with a vertically extending cutting edge 22. The body 18 of the cutting implement has a handle member 23 rigidly secured thereto by which it may be manipulated. The puncturing leg l9 has a greater vertical dimension than the upstanding rolled seam- [2 so that when the implement is placed over the seam in straddling relation thereto, ,a slight downward pressure on the implement will force the puncturing point 2| through the thin metal of the closure at a point in the zone 10 or Ilia just inside the upstanding rolled seam l2 at the base thereof as shown clearly in Fig. 4.. By moving the cutting implement around the upstanding seam l2, the cutting edge operates to cut the unsupported portion H1 or lUa of .the end closure thereby severing the central reinforced portion thereof from the upstanding bead.

If the vcut is made clear around the end closure,=.then the central reinforced portion can bewremoved bodily from the end of the can, but if. the 'cut is made nearly but not quite around the closure, then the uncut portion will constitute a hinge connecting the central reinforced portionof the closure to the can body thereby providing the can with a hinged cover forreclosing it.

The construction shown in Fig. 9 is best adaptedifor producing a hinged reclosing cover because of the'fact that the depending rib 1a merely rests on the bead '4 instead of setting into the bead as shown in Figs. 1 to 5.

The cutting implement herein'shown is constructed so that as it severs the closure member, itwill' also apply an ironing or smoothing action to the out edge 24 of the removable cover thereby smoothing said edge and removing therefrom any burr caused by the cutting action which might result in injury to a person handling the cover.. For this purpose the leg IQ of the implement is provided with a wing portion 25 which has a rubbing or smoothing action on the edge 24 as the cutting implement is moved around the seam I! for severing the cover element thereby turning said edgebackward as seen in Fig. 5.

The. handle 23 by which the implement is manipulated is shown as in the form of two connected curved spring arms 26 which are welded or brazed to the body I8 as shown at 28 and which are of a shape and size to encircle the neck 21 of the knob I3 as shown in Fig. 3. When the can has been initially sealed,'the cutting implement is .secured thereto by forcing the spring arms 26 around the neck 21 of the knob, the resiliency of the arms serving to hold the implement in'place duringtransportation and storage. The implement. can. be readily removed and used by withdrawing the spring arms 25 from the neck of the knob.

A sealed can embodying my invention may be considered as one inwhich the end closure has a. relatively stiff centralportion which constitutes a replaceable cover, and also has an annular'portion surrounding the central portion and situated just inside of the upstanding rolled-seam, which annular portion is unsupported from beneath and is made of thin easily severable material, so that the can can be easily opened initially by severing the closure along this annular portion.

I claim:

1. A can comprising a can body having an open top and an internal bead adjacent said top, and a closure element for closing said open top, said closure element being made of thin soft metal which can be easily severed without being provided with a score line and Which of itself does not posses the rigidity required of a replaceable cover for closing the opened can, said closure element also presenting a central body portion, an annular rib depending from the periphery of the body portion and engaging said bead, and an annular portion outside of said rib extending outwardly from the base thereof to the Wall of the can body at a point above and spaced from said bead, the peripheral portion of said closure being seamed to the top of the can body by an upstanding rolled seam, and a reinforcing member fitting within said rib and providing said central body portion with sufficient stiffness so that it may function as a replaceable cover for reclosing the can after the latter has been opened by severing the closure element along the outwardly extending portion between the rib and the upstanding rolled seam.

2. A can comprising a can body having an open top and an integral bead adjacent said top and a closure element for closing said open top, said closure element being made of relatively soft metal having a thickness on the order of .006" and which can be easily severed without being provided with a score line but which of itself does not possess the rigidity required of a replaceable cover for closing the opened can, said closure element also presenting a central body portion, an annular rib depending from the periphery of the body portion and engaging said bead and an annular portion outside of said rib extending outwardly from the base thereof to the Wall of the can body at a point above and spaced from said bead, said annular outwardly extending portion being unsupported from beneath, the peripheral portion of said closure being seamed to the top of the can body, and a reinforcing member fitting within said rib and providing said central body portion with suificient stiffness so that it may function as a replaceable cover for reclosing the can after the latter has been opened by severing the closure element along the outwardly extending annular portion between the rib and the rolled seam.

3. A can comprising a, can body having an open top and an internal bead adjacent said top, and a closure element for closing said open top, said closure element being made of thin soft metal which can be easily cut and having 2, depending annular rib which is located within and has a tight frictional fit with said bead, said closure element also having an annular portion extending outwardly from said bead to the wall of the can body and situated above said bead in spaced relation therewith, and a reinforcing member separate from said closure member and fitting within said annular depending rib, said reinforcing member adding sufficient strength and stiffness to the central portion of the closure member lying within said rib so that the closure member may function as a replaceable cover for re-closing the can after the latter has been opened by severing the closure element along the outwardly extending portion thereof above said bead.

HARRY SEBELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 556,319 Baldwin Mar. 10, 1896 999,957 Carman Aug. 8, 1911 1,509,927 Bowers Sept. 30, 1924 1,832,250 Sebell Nov. 17, 1931 1,887,485 Behringer Nov. 8, 1932 2,384,042 OBrien Sept. 4, 1945 2,428,371 Kinberg Oct. '7, 1947 2,523,285 Erb Sept. 26, 1950 

